Bangladesh is processing proposals to create 24,677 new revenue-budget posts in the police force, as officials say the service is far below the manpower its growing population needs.

The proposals cover 10,000 constable posts and 4,000 sub-inspector posts, which are being processed by the home ministry for submission to a secretary-level committee, Police Headquarters said. Separate proposals for 400 sergeant and 450 assistant superintendent of police posts are awaiting approval at the Ministry of Public Administration, while a further 1,943 posts are planned for police stations, investigation centres, outposts and operational camps.

The figures were presented at the fifth meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on the home ministry, chaired by Zainul Abedin. Bangladesh has one police officer for every 868 people, against a commonly cited peacetime benchmark of about one officer for every 400 people, Police Headquarters said. Malaysia's ratio is 1:297 and Thailand's 1:313.

A home ministry progress report cited in parliamentary documents estimates that the country needs roughly 354,000 police personnel against a sanctioned strength of about 218,700, a shortfall of more than 135,000. Bangladesh's population is put at more than 170 million.

Officials stressed that no recruitment has been completed. The proposals must pass several stages of administrative approval, and even if all the new posts are added they would not close the reported shortfall on their own.

The report also said authorities plan to set up 107 new police stations, outposts and investigation centres across the country.